Rate of Heat Transfer

Purpose:

In this activity you will be looking at the factors that affect the rate of heat transfer through a barrier.

Procedure:

Part 1:  Qualitative Introduction

  1. Open up the program found here.
  2. Start a document and describe the experiment. 
  3. Change the type of gas in each of the two containers.   How does the type of gas affect the rate of heat transfer through the barrier between the two chambers?
  4. Record the rate of heat transfer for each of the types of materials that you can use as a barrier.  Rank the different materials that can be used as a barrier to heat transfer.

  5. Pick any material you want for your barrier and qualitatively examine how the thickness of the wall affects the rate of heat transfer. Describe how barrier thickness affects the rate of heat transfer.
  6. Qualitatively examine barrier depth and height.  Describe how barrier depth and height affect the rate of heat transfer.
  7. Raise the temperature of the gas that started with a lower temperature.  Watch the rate of heat transfer as you change the temperature.  Make the two chambers the same temperature and then make the chamber that was originally colder, hotter than the other chamber.  Discuss your observations.

Part 2:  Quantitative Study of Thickness and Rate of Transfer

  1. Set your material to silver.
  2. Collect data for all available thicknesses.
  3. Use this program to plot a Rate of Heat Transfer vs. Thickness. You could use print screen to capture your graph and equation and get it into your coursework.

Part 3:  Quantitative Study of Area and Rate of Transfer

  1. Set your material to aluminum and your thickness to a value of around 15 mm.
  2. Vary your depth and/or your height to create different wall areas.  Calculate the wall areas and collect 8 different areas and the corresponding rate of heat transfer.
  3. Use this program to plot a Rate of Heat Transfer vs. Area.

Part 4:  Quantitative ∆T and Rate of Transfer

  1. Set your material to iron and your thickness to a value of around 15 mm.  Create the biggest surface area that you can.
  2. Change one or both temperatures to create eight different ∆T values.  Record your ∆T value and the corresponding rate of heat transfer.
  3. Use this program to plot a Rate of Heat Transfer vs. ∆T.

 

 

(edited from source)